9 [An immense contribution, for the times. In our money reckoned (for temp. Decii) at $3,757. For the Augustan age it would be $4,294. The text (sestertia) dubious. Ed. Paris.

10 [The diptychsare here referred to; that is, lists (read at the Eucharist) in which benefactors, living or dead, were gratefully remembered. Anglice, "beadroll."]

1 Oxford ed.: Ep. ii. CircaA.D. 249.

2 [In the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican, to the disgrace of the pontifical court, the fine music is obtained by recourse to this expedient, inflicted upon children.]

1 Oxford ed.: Ep. iv. He suggests the kind of discipline by which virgins may be kept in their duty, and some matters concern, ing the power of (excommunication in the Church. CircaA.D. 249.

2 [See vol. ii. p. 57, Elucidation II.]

3 Jer. iii. 15.

4 Wisd. iii. 11.

5 Ps. ii. 12(LXX.).

6 Some editors read here "fructu" for "ructu;" but Goldhorn observes that a similar collocation of eructationwith error is found in Horace, Ep. ad Pis., 457.

7 [How coarse and brutal the pagan manners, which even the Gospel could not immediately refine!]

8 Eph. iv. 27.

9 1 Cor. viii. 13.

10 [This abomination may have lingered in Africa much longer that elsewhere among the Punic converts from Canaanite manners. Ezek. viii. 13, 14.]

11 Deut. xvii. 12, 13.

12 Prov. xv. 12, 10.

13 [The frightful condition of heathen society inspired the effort to maintain celibacy, but all this suggests the divine wisdom and clemency in restricting it to the few. Matt. xix. 11.]

14 Gal. iv. 16.

15 Gal. i. 10.

16 [The horrible subject of this letter is treated in a valuable note (k) in the Oxford trans., p 7. It began earlier (see Hermas) than that learned annotator supposes; but the silence of Minucius Felix, and the pagan objector of his story, as to this specific reproach, suggests that it was of rare occurrence. Vol. ii. p. 235.]